A Survival Tips and Techniques Blog | UrbanWoodsman.com

Short video talking about personal first aid kits.

These days no American can afford to not have emergency preparedness. First aid readiness reguires that you keep a basic list of essential supplies and learn a few survival tips.

So what would Bear Grylls of Man vs. Wild would reccomend to any wilderness junkie.

Bear Grylls has hosted the Discovery Channel’s MAN VS. WILD, in which he strands himself in remote locations to demonstrate localized survival techniques. So when it comes to being ready for anything the expert is Bear!

According to Discovery Channel.com “Bear served three years with the Special Air Service, a special forces unit of the British army. During his service, he broke his back in three places in a parachuting accident over Southern Africa.

Despite the accident and severity of his injury, Bear went on in 1998 to become, at age 23, the youngest British climber to complete a summit and descent of Mount Everest. He wrote about his experience in the book, The Kid Who Climbed Everest.

Not content to slow down, Bear achieved another first when he and his Everest climbing group circumnavigated the United Kingdom on jet skis. He also led the first unassisted crossing of the frozen North Atlantic Ocean in an open rigid inflatable boat. His book about this adventure, Facing the Frozen Ocean, was shortlisted as the U.K.’s “Sports Book of the Year.” Bear was awarded a commission in the Royal Navy in honor of leading this record-breaking expedition.

In June 2005, Bear broke a world record by hosting a dinner party at a table suspended below a hot air balloon at 24,500 feet. He rappelled from the balloon’s basket to the table, where in full naval uniform he ate a three-course meal before saluting the queen and skydiving to earth. His goal was to support the work of two charities: the Prince’s Trust and the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award.

Bear hosted a 2005 television series for the U.K.’s Channel Four, called Escape to the Legion, in which he took a group of young men to the Western Sahara Desert to undergo the French Foreign Legion’s infamous basic training. A second Channel Four series, titled Born Survivor: Bear Grylls, completed its U.K. run in April 2007.

On May 15, 2007, Bear set another world record when he became the first person to fly over Mount Everest by powered paraglider. Supported by the GKN Mission Everest Team, Grylls and fellow pilot Giles (Gilo) Gardozo flew specially developed paramotors. Though a fault in Gilo’s machine forced him to abort only 1,000 feet below the summit, Bear continued to ascend until he reached 29,500 feet and was able to look down on Everest as he circled above some of the most famous peaks in the Himalayas. Then his own engine developed problems and he, too, had to glide back to safety — but he had achieved his goal. The mission raised $1 million for the Global Angels Foundation, a charity that supports children in Africa. Filmed by the Planet Earth team, Bear and Gilo’s undertaking will be made into a two-hour documentary for Discovery Channel and Channel Four in the U.K.” Source (Disvcovery Channel)

So what kind of supplies would Bear reccomend you keep on hand? You must cover all the basics.

1.Food & Water

2.Basic Shelter

3.Tools

4.Protection

5.First Aid

6.Light and Communication

Find yourself all of these items yourself or get a complete first aid survival pack!

Things to consider when buying a first aid kit for an outdoor activity such as camping – and there are so many. Our experience tells us the first thing to consider is the activity you intend on doing and the climate you intend on doing it in. For example, a first aid kit consisting of animal plasters and a lollipop for the children for use in your back garden won’t cut it on an ice climbing trip to Scandinavia.

Another important consideration is your ability – if you were to open your first aid kit, would you know how to use each item contained inside? Is it time to maybe enrol on a basic first aid course? Even the most complete first aid kit is rendered useless if the knowledge required to give basic first aid is lacking.

For this guide, we’ll assume we will be participating on a low risk camping activity.

Our definition of a low risk camping activity:

Falls from height will be unlikely. Risk from submersion in dangerous waters (cold, deep, fast flowing etc) will be minimal. Medical attention is available within the hour. Shelter, food and water are no further than 4 miles or one hour walk away.

Always make sure you are competent to carry out any activity you plan to engage in. Use your judgement to determine the risk factor of your activity. Always take into account any factors beyond your control – a sudden fall in temperature or visibility can render any activity dangerous.

Moving on to the first aid kit, the first thing to be included in any kit is personal medication – that is any medication that has been prescribed to you that you would require on a day to day basis.

The rest of your kit should consist of at least:

Waterproof First Aid Kit Bag Flashlight Whistle Scissors First Aid Tape Antiseptic Cream Anaesthetic Spray Variety of Gauzes Eye Wash Burn Relief Ointment Variety of Bandages Plasters / Band-Aids Some form a pain relief – Aspirin / Paracetamol / Ibuprofen Latex Gloves An EpiPen or similar

You should consider including the following items if not already included in your survival kit:

Tweezers A Fire steel or similar Water Purifying Tablets Space Blanket

Finally, the following we consider optional but make great additions when pack weight isn’t an issue:

Hydrocortisone Cream Insect Repellent Antihistamines Antacids

Read on below for a description of each item and its suggested use.

Waterproof First Aid Kit Bag

There is absolutely no reason not to have a waterproof first aid kit bag to hold your first aid kit contents. The items in your first aid kit should be kept clean and dry at all times – a damp first aid kit is almost like no first aid kit.

Flashlight / Torch

Chances are you’ll be carrying a flashlight anyway, but should always carry one in your first aid kit. This should be pretty self explanatory; first aid is a lot harder in the dark. Besides this, a torch is a great morale booster when an injured member of your party is immobile in the dark.

Whistle

Don’t carry just one whistle – carry one for each member of your group in case you need to separate or are separated for any reason. It is not only required to signal for help but is just as important to signal to each other.

Scissors

These have a variety of uses in many first aid scenarios from trimming bandages and gauze to removing clothing in an emergency. Try not to use these for general tasks and try to keep sterile where ever possible.

First Aid Tape

First aid tape has an unlimited number of uses, from a makeshift splint to taping on gauze. A roll should be found in every emergency first aid kit.

Antiseptic Cream

A minor cut or graze wouldn’t normally cause a problem – until it gets infected and can ultimately lead to very serious complications. Application of an antiseptic cream to keep this from happening could be very important.

Anaesthetic Spray

This may bring some welcome relief to common mishaps such as burns, stings, bites, cuts and grazes. Be sure to read the accompanying leaflet for details on the use of the spray – different sprays can be used on different ailments.

Variety of Gauze

Knowing when to use a gauze is easy when you know its purpose – to help stop bleeding. A gauze is made from porous fibres designed to absorb and trap the blood and thus help it clot. Do some research on when to and when not to use a gauze.

Eye Wash

Deemed unnecessary by some , but we like to take an eye wash in our first aid kits so we know we have a convenient and sterile wash available should any of our party be involved in an eye related incident.

Burn Relief Ointment

It’s surprising just how common burns are encountered on camping trips, even to the most experienced of us. It can happen very easily but luckily can also be treated just as easily with the right gear.

Variety of Bandages

This includes a variety of sizes as well as shapes and types. Do your research on bandages – learn how and when to use them. Learn how to use one in a splint, how to make a sling, how to make a tourniquet etc. Knowing how to use each type will help you decide which type to stock your first aid kit up with.

Plasters / Band Aids

Use these to treat minor cuts and abrasions and help keep out infection. Remember to change the plasters regularly and to clean the wound before reapplying a new one.

Aspirin / Paracetamol / Ibuprofen

It could be very dangerous to give anyone painkillers such as Aspirin, Paracetamol and Ibuprofen. Always make sure the leaflet accompanying these drugs is kept in the first aid kit for reference. Always thoroughly read the leaflet and satisfy yourself it is safe to treat the patient with painkillers. If you are ever unsure, it is always safer not to do so.

Latex Gloves

These offer protection not just for the patient from infection but also for the giver of first aid. Always practise good hygiene procedures when treating a patient for both the health of the patient and yourself.

An EpiPen or Similar

An EpiPen must never be used without proper training or medical knowledge. Given the right circumstances and a competent first aider, an EpiPen can significantly increase the chances of survival of a patient in anaphylactic shock. Again thorough research is advised.

Tweezers

These are ideal for removing foreign bodies from cuts and abrasions. Bear in mind that multi tools such as a Swiss Army Knife or Leatherman usually have tweezers built in – along with a host of other useful items; if your pack weight permits it may be worthwhile investing in something similar.

A Fire Steel or Similar

Some people carry a lighter or matches, we prefer a fire steel as we know we can depend on it working when we need it.  You need one of these in your pack whatever your activity – in fact, put one on your key chain. It can be used with any kind of tinder to make a fire, can be used wet and are virtually indestructible.

Water Purifying Tablets

Always keep water purifying tablets in your kit, whether you keep it in your survival kit or first aid kit. Even the most simple of incidents can become drastic and life threatening without water and for their size and weight there is no excuse to go anywhere without carrying some.

Space Blanket

This item is very useful for keeping a casualty warm by reflecting their own body heat. Space blankets are useful in a variety of scenarios.

Hydrocortisone Cream

Hydrocortisone cream can be used on insect stings, nettle stings and the like. Using a cream such as this can help stop simple things like insect stings and bites from ruining a camping weekend.

Insect Repellent

Never underestimate the importance of an insect repellent. Why suffer with all those midge bites when you can apply some insect repellent and forget all about them.

Antihistamines

Antihistamines are considered by many as optional unless of course you suffer badly from allergies. Again, these can help turn a miserable camping trip to a pleasant one with a tiny tablet.

Antacids

If you know you typically suffer from excess stomach acid, don’t forget to pack a packet of these.

As a final note, all of the above items are useless without a competent first aider. If you take part in any outdoor activity, give some serious consideration to taking part in a first aid course for not only your own benefit but others in your group.

First aid kit is a small kit that is made to help in some immediate treatment to common injuries that may be faced inside or outside of the house. The contents of a kit can vary depending on the place for where the kit is intended. Some indoor and outdoor injuries may vary in nature and a different treatment may be needed for them.

When considering an indoor kit, it should be seen that what types of injuries may be most expected in the home and what could be its intensity. Indoor injuries may include cuts, minor bleeding, pain due to a fall and maybe some others as well. Some bandages and gauzes should be kept in the kit so that they can be used to cover the wound to make it a little safer by protecting it from germ infection.

A scissor should also be kept so that the bandages and gauzes can be cut to the desired size and shape according to the wound\’s shape and size. Anti biotic and cleaning liquid can be used to clean the wound a little in order to proceed with further treatment and with potentially better accuracy. Aspirin and other common pain killers can be used when a pain in any specific body part is felt like an arm, leg etc. For headaches, aspirin can be said as a first choice over any other type of pain killer.

There can be many types of outdoor kits. A camping trip may need different medicines. An auto first aid kit may need different contents. The difference can be mainly due to the varying nature of injuries that can be faced in both incidences.

There can still be some common things that can be found in majority of the outdoor kits which can also somewhat resemble to an indoor kit. An outdoor kit also should have some bandages, gauzes, scissors, tweezers, and some pain killer medicines. Tweezers can prove helpful in removing small parts from the body which can otherwise be difficult to do with any other equipment.

The outdoor kit is preferred to be kept in a waterproof box so that the contents may not have to face any kind of damage due to water. Bandages and gauzes can be water damaged so care should be taken to protect the kit from water by making the kit in a water proof box and trying to keep unwanted water away from the place where the kit is located.

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NZSAS: First Among Equals is a world first – an exclusive documentary series about the inner workings of this country’s most famous elite, the “top 1 percenters” of the new zealand defence force – better known as the NZSAS. Based on 3 years of unprecedented access, this New Zealand series includes never before seen footage of the successful few who’ve earned a place in New Zealand’s leading military unit. It observes them under pressure as they struggle to learn a multitude of expert skills including parachuting, marksmanship, demolitions, infiltration, survival techniques and communications – all to the SAS benchmark.

The First Aid “Heart” of my BOB I wanted to run through and check the items as I am transferring my items to a new pack.

NZSAS: First Among Equals is a world first – an exclusive documentary series about the inner workings of this country’s most famous elite, the “top 1 percenters” of the new zealand defence force – better known as the NZSAS. Based on 3 years of unprecedented access, this New Zealand series includes never before seen footage of the successful few who’ve earned a place in New Zealand’s leading military unit. It observes them under pressure as they struggle to learn a multitude of expert skills including parachuting, marksmanship, demolitions, infiltration, survival techniques and communications – all to the SAS benchmark.

NZSAS: First Among Equals is a world first – an exclusive documentary series about the inner workings of this country’s most famous elite, the “top 1 percenters” of the new zealand defence force – better known as the NZSAS. Based on 3 years of unprecedented access, this New Zealand series includes never before seen footage of the successful few who’ve earned a place in New Zealand’s leading military unit. It observes them under pressure as they struggle to learn a multitude of expert skills including parachuting, marksmanship, demolitions, infiltration, survival techniques and communications – all to the SAS benchmark.

^^SUBSCRIBE^^survivalist tips, car trunk first aid

NZSAS: First Among Equals is a world first – an exclusive documentary series about the inner workings of this country’s most famous elite, the “top 1 percenters” of the new zealand defence force – better known as the NZSAS. Based on 3 years of unprecedented access, this New Zealand series includes never before seen footage of the successful few who’ve earned a place in New Zealand’s leading military unit. It observes them under pressure as they struggle to learn a multitude of expert skills including parachuting, marksmanship, demolitions, infiltration, survival techniques and communications – all to the SAS benchmark.